


Cheap Thrills (for 39000 Gold)

by spacejeep69



Series: BIG MEGUCA AU [3]
Category: PBG Hardcore series
Genre: ALSO BIG SPOILERS FOR STARBOUND HARDCORE DO NOT READ THE SECOND PART IF YOU HAVEN'T WATCHED IT YET, M/M, also sad boi hours with luke, but everyone's a goddamn vampire except for jared pbg and ian, don't worry this is explained in the fic, hey it's part 2 of my big meguca au, the yo-yo bros and the blood queen, welcome to twilight i mean the blood queen arc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2019-06-13 01:59:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15353718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacejeep69/pseuds/spacejeep69
Summary: Peanut makes some self discoveries, all thanks to a Queen trying to kill him.///It was Luke's right to serve his Queen. He enjoyed this, up until the Queen died.Then Luke realizes some things.





	1. His Majesty, the Queen

"I'm really sorry, y'all, but we had to." Luke murmured as he looked away from his friends, guilty. 

"It's alright, Luke. You were just doing your job." Peanut responded, giving him a sad smile.

Jeff was nowhere to be found, while Ian and Jared were tied up with what looked like spider web.

"Luke! What have you brought for me today?" Crooned a new voice, one that Peanut knew all too well. It was his own. Well, sort of deeper, but it was still his voice.

"Your Majesty. I've brought him." Luke bowed, getting on one knee and tipping his head forward for the voice. With the tone that Luke used, Peanut knew that he was supposed to be brought here.

"Him? Are you absolutely sure?" His voice crooned again, to which Luke nodded and hummed in agreement.

"Let me see, then..." Out of the shadows, he emerged. It was... Peanut? What? He wore a delicate wine red dress, one that was lolita in fashion complete with a corset and stiletto boots. On top of his head was a tri-pointed crown, adorned with rubies and amethysts.

"Woah?! Are we clones are something?!" Peanut had exclaimed, looking closely at his mirror image. His clone walked closer, inspecting him from head to toe. The mirror hummed, standing still in front of Peanut.

"Luke, darling... Please fetch me... Jeff." He murmured, looking down at the still bowing man.

"Yes, your Majesty."

It was dark in the cave, with spiders crawling all over the walls and the muffled cries of his friends. Despite that the Blood Queen was a mirror image of him, he was still the enemy here. Struggling against the web binding his hands was tough.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You'll damage your wrists." The Blood Queen murmured to him, eyes locking onto Peanut's. The Queen's eyes were green, like Peanut's, but there was something else about them... They had a reddish tint, like the color red was trying to invade his irises.

"Why do you look like me?" Peanut finally asked, eyes never leaving the Queen's.

"I could ask you the same thing, but at least I know the answer." The Queen let out a soft giggle, and retreated back into the shadows. Peanut's eyes immediately shot to his friends.

"You guys alright?" He asked in a hushed whisper. Jared nodded, while Ian grimaced painfully.

"Ian, can you heal yourself?" Peanut asked, worried for his friend. Ian huffed quietly as he slowly muttered words to a spell. Faint magic glowed from his gem, and lighted up the crimson walls of the cave. Ian panted as he finished his spell, leaning his head back against Jared's upper back, staring blankly at the walls. At least the bleeding had stopped for the time being.

The Blood Queen and his servants all approached, the Queen staring into Peanut's eyes again. Jeff stood behind him, next to Luke, flanked by Satchell and Paul.

"You come into my home, kill one of my men, and expect me to have pity on you?" The Queen smiled warmly, eyes closed as he walked closer to him and... cutting his restraints.

"I sent you away for a reason, brother. You were not fit to rule this land like I am. If you wish for a fight over the crown, a fight you shall receive." The Queen continued to smile warmly, even as he stepped back and pulled a large yo-yo from his waist. He opened his eyes, the irises being completely red now. The warm smile on his face turned sharp, grim. "Luke. Please remove the pests." He commanded, and Luke immediately moved to do so, wrapping his own blue yo-yo around the bindings around Jared and Ian and hauling them away.

"Jared! Ian!" Peanut cried, running towards Luke. Jeff was suddenly in front of him, expression blank as he blocked Peanut's path.

"I won't hurt them. Be calm. For now, we fight." The Blood Queen hissed, beginning to charge at Peanut.

Peanut quickly switched into his battle form, magic from his gem overtaking him and fitting him with his armor. His large sword clanged with the impact of the Queen's yo-yo, a spark in his eyes as he stared the Queen down. The yo-yo stood in place, even with the sword scraping against it and causing sparks.

"Even if we are clones are something, I wouldn't lose to something like you!" Peanut cried out as he pushed the Queen back with force.

"Bold claim for someone about to die." The Queen snarled in response, his sharp and pointed canines glinting from the sparks.

Light from newly lit torches danced as the two swung their weapons back and forth at each other.

"Why do you hate me so much? What did I do to you?!" Peanut had cried as he forced The Queen back with a parry.

"You came to steal my crown! Why else would you be here?! Why else would you kill Jon?!" The Queen shouted as he smacked Peanut in the face with his yo-yo.

"Why would I steal your crown?! That makes no sense!" Peanut yelped as he was attacked with multiple yoyos, backflipping to avoid them.

"Have you really not figured it out? I knew you were stupid, but not this much!" The Queen laughed harshly as his servants attacked Peanut with yo-yos.

"Hey! Am not! And I remember you calling me 'brother'! What's up with that?!" Peanut asked as he deflected some attacks with his sword, leaping and flipping around to avoid the spiked yo-yos.

"We are brothers, you dolt. Isn't it obvious?!" The Queen gave Peanut an unbelieving stare, as if it was hard to imagine Peanut being that stupid.

"No! I have a brother and family!" Peanut denied, leaping up and slashing down at the Queen with his sword.

"A fake family with fake memories. I sent you there because I knew then you wouldn't interfere with my rule." The Queen giggled maliciously, dodging out of the way and swinging his yo-yo, wrapping it around Peanut's neck and yanking him up into the air where he couldn't breathe. Peanut clawed at the bindings, looking up to the ceiling of the cave as he panicked, eyes growing wide as he struggled to breathe.

"Benedictio Dei!" Shouted a voice, Ian, and Peanut was promptly released, falling left arm and face first on the ground. The Queen hissed from above him, as some holy water was tossed on him. He writhed around, removing the restraints as he curled up and tried his hardest to to cry because that fall hurt, damn it-!

He was kicked into a wall, looking helplessly up at the Queen. His sword was all the way across the room.

"I never wanted the crown! I came here because it was easier to go through here to reach Castle von Jessenstein!" Peanut cried out, glaring up at him.

"If what you said is true, then you're right! I have no memory of you, and I didn't even know what you looked like until you showed up in this cave!" Peanut clutched at his left arm.

"Lies! You know you remember!" The Queen slapped him, his head turning to the side and a large red mark appearing on his cheek. Peanut grit his teeth, whipping out the dagger Ian had given him for emergencies, lunging up at the Queen and plunging it into his stomach.

"No. And even if I did remember you, I wouldn't want to, anyway." Peanut shoved the Queen away from him, letting his body fall to the ground with a thud. Peanut sank to his knees, panting as he stared at the Queen, who only glared hatefully at Peanut.

"My name is Peanut Hargrave, and for once, I'm proud of my name. At least it doesn't tie me to you." Peanut smirked. What even was the Queen's name? He didn't want to know.

Suddenly Jeff appeared next to him again, his expression pained and apologetic.

"Jeff, wha-" Peanut was cut off before he could ask his question, with a gentle kiss pressed upon his lips. Peanut's eyes were wide open, an accusatory gasp coming from Luke and Satch. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, even when Jeff pulled back and gave a tiny smile to Peanut.

"I may be under the Queen's rule, but I've known you better than him. I've met him, what, twice? But I've known you for years. You're more important to me that the Queen ever will be."

The Queen tried standing up, snarling fiercely, blood red eyes piercing into Jeff's soul. He failed, falling onto his stomach and pushing the blade deeper into his stomach.

"Your Majesty!" Luke called, him and Satch moving closer to him, hissing angrily at Peanut, who only sat back and panted, reverting back into his normal attire. Jeff lay a hand on his back, kneeling beside him.

"Deception! Disgrace! You've betrayed your family!" The Queen snarled, making an effort to crawl closer to the two.

"No, your Majesty. You've betrayed yours." Jeff declared, giving him a defiant smirk. The Queen struggled against Luke's hold, making clawing motions at Jeff.

Then, a tiny flame erupted near the Queen's face. The Queen only stared at it, while everyone else looked confused by it. More flickered into life from seemingly nothing, all surrounding the Queen and not letting anyone through it's boundaries. Luke let go of the Queen as soon as a flame had licked as his skin, hissing as he scooted back.

"Your Majesty!" Satch cried out, just as the flames grew larger and swarmed the Queen. The Queen screamed, and through the flames, he could see the absolutely horror stricken expression his brother and Jeff wore.

Tears poured down his face, and he began clawing at himself to stop the flames, only damaging himself in the process. With one last ear piercing scream, the Queen and the flames disappeared into thin air, leaving behind the Queen's tri-pointed crown and Peanut's emergency dagger as they clattered to the floor.

Peanut's face was pale, and he'd backed up against the wall as the event happened. He was trembling and wouldn't stop, feeling a chill even colder than the blizzard they'd went through earlier. Jeff was frozen in place, body tense as he stared at the spot. A wail was heard, coming from Luke. He had fallen to his knees and was sobbing into his own arms, his snapback low on his face. The rest of the Queen's mercenaries all stared down at the spot the Queen was in, all shocked and mourning.

Luke had suddenly gotten up, looking absolutely livid as he picked Peanut up by his shirt and tossing him towards the spot the Queen lay.

"I want you to get your stuff, and I want you to leave. I never want to see your face here ever again." Luke trembled with all the emotions, looking like he would break down at any moment. Peanut looked down at the dagger, still trembling. He made no move to pick it up, mainly because he was still trying to process what was happening.

"Leave!" Luke had shouted, with such force that shook the entire cave.

Why wasn't the cave stopping its own trembling...?

Rocks and red dirt fell from the ceiling, a piece hitting Peanut on the head. He yelped as it smacked the top of his head.

"What's going on?" Paul asked, jumping out of the way of a huge boulder.

"It appears that the cave is collapsing. We should probably get out of here. Right now." Satch stated.

"Peebs, we gotta go!" Jeff shouted, picking up both the crown and the dagger and shoving them into Peanut's hands, picking Peanut up bridal style and climbing up the exit out.

"Guess I should help you guys out, huh? Sorry about the wounds, Ian." Paul cringed lightly as he untied Jared and Ian, tossing the both of them over his shoulders and climbing up with Jeff.

"Luke, we should leave." Satch spoke gently to the man. Luke was still trembling, looking up at Satch with a glare that wasn't directed at him.

"I can't forgive him." Luke hissed, but let Satch lead him up and out of the cave with the others.

"It wasn't his fault. Peanut does not possess that magic, nor does Ian." Satch explained, leading Luke away from the rest of the group to calm him down.

Luke didn't respond. Satch stood behind his friend, rubbing a soothing hand on his back.

"It'll take me awhile to get used to life without him. What'll we do without him?" Luke bit his lip, finally asking a few minutes later.

"We wander the lands. See what they have to offer us. Come back here once in a while, to reminisce the good times." Satch responded. Luke nodded.

They don't go back to the group.

·-·-·

When the Queen wakes up, he's in an unfamiliar place. His dress is singed, but a new one sits on the floor next to him, neatly folded. He gets on his knees, looking around the dark room.

"Hello there!" A chipper voice calls from behind him, and his head swerves to look behind him.

There stands a being shrouded in shadows, with only glowing eyes as the notable feature. He wears a large yellow hat, along with some dark blue high collared robes.

"Who are you?" The Queen asks the figure, formally because he is still a Queen.

"My name's Todd! Welcome to Hell!" The shadow being answers, and giggles.

"Such a simplistic name for such a creature..." The Queen murmurs.

"Well, It's actually short for Mortemnexshitoddauðatử thân, but I figure it's easier to call me Todd! But enough about me, let's look at you." Todd sounds like he's smiling. The Queen's watchful eyes never leave him for a second. Todd pulls out a crystal ball, humming a tune as he looks into it.

"Peony Blood Gold, also known as the Blood Queen.... interesting. I thought you looked familiar. You're related to Peanut Hargrave. Oh, wow. Twins! Interesting." Todd mumbles to himself, looking from the orb back to the Queen.

"Why have you brought me here?" The Queen inquires, looking up at Todd.

"You're dead! Don't you remember being on fire and all that stuff? You know what, nevermind. Point is, I'm here to offer you another chance at life. But, as I'm sure you know, magic comes with a price." Todd states, sounding completely serious.

"And what would this price be?" The Queen squints, suspicious of Todd.

"I don't know yet, I'm working on it!" Todd splutters, humming as he tries to come up with something.

The Queen shifts into a more comfortable position, resting on his knees with his hands folded over his lap. He waits patiently for judgement. He'll get revenge on Peanut, even if it killed him. Again.

"I've got it!" Todd shouts, startling the Queen out of his thoughts. His eyes were glowing brighter than before.

"In order for you to come back to life, you will never be allowed to wear your crown again. You will be stripped of your title as Queen." Todd states, sticking his hand out. "Shake my hand and you'll be alive again, but remember the price."

The Queen stumbles to his feet, glaring at Todd. Without hesitation, he places his hand into Todd's, shaking firmly.

He felt Todd's eyes burning into him, and he was suddenly outside of his cave home. He was back in his normal dress, no trace of burns anywhere. The entire cave had collapsed, and the Queen felt rage, burning within the deepest pits of his soul.

He would find Peanut. This grudge would carry them both to hell.


	2. Cheap Thrills (for 39000 Gold)

Luke remembers that back in the Peony's castle, there was a specific hierarchy that he followed. It was always the Queen first, then his First Mate, the rest of Peony's parliament, and then all of the lesser vamps roaming the outlands. Luke himself was Peony's First Mate, a title he was proud of.

And sure, you could claim that it was an abusive relationship but certainly not physically. Luke was always being prettied up and put in skimpy clothes and outfits for Peony, and Luke was okay with it. He consented to all of that. In every physical exploit that they'd ever done, Peony had always waited until Luke gave his consent.

Peony did like to play mind games, and Luke was clearly no exception. There would be days when Peony would starve Luke of mental contact, something they shared as Queen and First Mate. If Peony was out on business trips, he wouldn't check on Luke, and poor Luke was left alone to wander aimlessly. Luke was also on the receiving end of several tongue lashings, bringing his self esteem to the ground and making him almost completely dependant of the Queen.

Peony had commanded him to mask his emotions, a tough thing to do considering Luke was just an emotional person, but he did it anyway. It was all for Peony's happiness. Luke was always instilled with the idea of making others, Peony happy, but never himself. Doing things for himself would be selfish, no matter how small. It got so bad that Luke finally closed his entire self off, acting only on command from Peony.

Yet when Peanut and his, quite frankly, less than organized group had arrived and Peony had sent him to keep an eye out, he couldn't help but expose some of his emotions. It was too natural, they were too natural to be around. He remembers becoming closer with all of them, feeling the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that Peony was wrong, they weren't looking for the crown.

The gentle way Jared would watch over them, cooking food with such fluid expertise that no one could comprehend. The reckless but good natured way Peanut would charge into the heat of battle and defend his friends. The watchful eye of Jeff on Peanut, restraining him lightly and apologizing for him even if it wasn't his fault. Ian's hidden smoldering gaze, the gaze of untrust and accusation, disguised by polite smiles and attempts to join the conversation.

He wouldn't hurt them. He couldn't hurt them. They were his friends. He couldn't help them, but he did try to make sure that Paul wasn't too ruthless when attacking them.

So when Peony died, Luke finally showed full emotion for the first time in years. And it had felt great. He forgot how genuinely nice it had felt to emote. Even if it was such burning anger that made their dungeon, the cave, collapse in on itself.

And for that reason, he forgave Peanut. If Peony had taken Luke's life away, then Peanut had given it back.

He had offered to carry some of their belongings, as his way of seeking his own forgiveness. Everyone had already declared their forgiveness, including Ian, who was still a bit betrayed by Jeff and weary of Luke. 

None of that mattered to Luke now. Peanut had the crown now, both physically and to every other vampire in the vicinity, even if Peanut was still only human. It would take Luke a while to get used to calling him just Peanut because he was so ingrained with having a Queen to serve.

"Luke, come on, man, we're here!" Peanut had called to him, and Luke had snapped out of his stupor, using his super speed to stand next to him.

"Sorry about that, your Ma- uh, Peanut." Luke made sure to avoid eye contact, keeping his gaze level with the giant castle looming in front of them.

"You okay there, Luke?" Jared asked from behind him. Luke turned his head to face him, giving a reassuring smile.

"Yeah. Just... overthinking things again." Jared nodded at this response, also giving a gentle smile.

Peanut knocked loudly on the grand wooden door. Cameras pointed down at them, and the doors opened, revealing a robot.

"Greetings, humans and vampires. What is your business?" Asked the robot, eyes scanning each of them. 

"You're a member of the von Jessenstein clan, right?" Reese asked, pushing her way up front besides Peanut. The robot nodded, making no other movement.

Jirard began telling the robot the reason they had come, which was still unknown to Luke before then. He understood that Peanut, Jared, Jeff and Ian were trying to save their kingdom, but he had no clue why Jirard, Reese and Barry were here. Maybe because they were like him, and wanted to join the fight. So maybe they hadn't come out of obligation quite like him, but their intentions were similar. Fight for these people because there's nothing else left.

"Alright. Come in, then. My name is Princess Jesse L Coxbot5000 von Jessenstein, but call me Jesse. It is a pleasure to meet you." Everyone gave each other bewildered glances at the robot's complex name.

"Thanks, Jesse!" Reese finally broke the silence, stepping inside of the giant castle while said robot had stepped to the side to let everyone in.

"Are you a boy or a girl?" Peanut asked in genuine confusion, eyeing the robot weirdly.

"Peebs!" Jeff cried out in protest, swiftly apologizing to the robot for Peanut.

"I assume you are asking of my gender. Since robots do not have these genders, I suppose you may use whatever pronouns you wish for me. Do know that I will probably respond better to he and him. I will have tea prepared for you all, give me a moment." Jesse bowed slightly and left, leaving the travelers alone in the giant castle. 

"This place is freakin' huge!" Peanut mused. Everyone else agreed with a nod or hum of agreement. 

Luke, however, nearly burst into tears at just how great this place was. Sure, back home it wasn't nearly as beautiful, they lived in a wooden fort after all. But Peony and Luke had been planning on building a huge castle like this one... It would've had been tall, at least twenty floors. Built out of crimtane, maybe some iron. It was going to have beautiful plush rugs, with servants of spiders and gross monsters as their servants, and Peony and Luke would've been sitting on the large sofa and laughing at the stupidest things... They would've looked out the window, holding each other as they watched their vastly growing empire...

They would get married out in the courtyard, with Jeff as Peony's best man and Satch as Luke's...

"Luke, are you sure you're alright?" The gentle voice shakes him out of his thoughts, and he sees the concerned face of Jared, standing there in front of him. There's no one but them, because everyone has moved into various rooms to investigate. He can feel the tears streaming down his own face, even as he looks clearly at Jared.

"I keep thinking about how things were, and how they should've been. It's hard to forget such an important person in your life, you know?" Luke confessed, looking down as he tried to shield his face.

"Really, you should know this by now... We're your friends, Luke. If you need anything, even if it's comfort, we'll be here. Ian gives the best hugs, and Jirard's like a giant teddy bear. Don't be afraid to ask us." Jared took one of Luke's hands in his own, resting the other near his heart. 

"M-may I ask for a hug, then?" Luke asked softly, unable to look at Jared as he requested it. Jared only nodded slowly, stepping closer and wrapping his hands around Luke's torso, resting his face on Luke's shoulder. Luke melted into the hug, feeling a few more tears escape. Jared may have been smaller, but he was still just as delicate as Peony, if not more so. Jared was so warm, a stark contrast to the freezing Peony. His body was as cold as his heart. Nearly frozen solid. But Jared was nice and alive, with running blood through his veins. He smelled nice, like tea leaves and smoke, also a stark contrast compared to Peony, who smelled like blood and roses. 

Peony was artificial. Jared was alive. He loved this feeling so much. 

\---

"Quickly, Luke, into the teleporter." Jesse commanded, waving his hands towards Luke and the teleporter. 

"I'm goin', man, don't rush me." Luke smiled jokingly, sighing before walking into the teleporter.

His entire body felt tingly, shifting into a beam of light. Stars, literal stars from space filled his vision, and he felt like he was floating. His head went through something (or someone) and he groaned, not liking the way that felt. He was shot back into another teleporter, feeling woozy and passing out, falling off of the launch pad and face first onto the floor.

When he woke again, he saw the worried faces of Reese, Jirard and Jared surrounding him.

"Hey there, buddy... Are you alright?" Reese asked softly, her voice laced with concern. Luke only groaned again, feeling like he was ruffling his own feathers.

"Can you tell us your name?" Jared asked, peering down at him with confusion.

"It's me, Luke." Luke lifted himself up and stretched, letting out a loud squawk. Everyone jumped at the sound, including Luke himself. He clapped his hands over his face, feeling feathers on a smooth beak.

"Greetings, friends. It appears that there's been an... accident with the teleporter." Jesse reported from behind Reese. Everyone turned around to face the robot, all waiting for explanation.

"Apparently there's been a rare occurrence. It had something to do with another party teleporting at the same time and something got scrambled. It sounds like gibberish to you human, but basically Luke is an Avian now." Jesse explained. Everyone looked even more confused.

"So what does that mean?" Luke finally asked.

"You are an Avian now. A race of bird from space. If any solutions arise, I will let you know." Jesse nodded before leaving. Luke squawked in alarm, closing his feathered hands over his beak again.

"What do you need, Luke?" Jared asked softly, turning back to his now Avian friend.

"I... don't know..." Luke responded softly, trembling.

"Reese, Jirard, let me talk to him alone." Jared whispered to his other friends, making them nod as they got up and left. 

"Luke, do you need a hug?" Jared asked slowly, never moving from his place, crouched next to him.

"Please." Luke trembled as he sat up, waiting for Jared's embrace.

As usual, Jared was soft and warm. Luke had to be careful, because his beak was large and pointy. At least he still had his vampiric powers. He wanted to do this forever, just hold Jared because he was so nice and so smart, he was such a good friend that his heart was breaking. Why did Jared have to be so good to him? He felt like he did with Peony, but less like an object to love and more like an actual, valid person. Luke loved this, the contentedness, the love, he felt it all.

He just had to...

"Make-believing we're together..." Luke murmured softly, his voice catching a note and holding it as he began to sing more.

"That I'm sheltered by your heart..." He could picture Peony's face, smiling sweetly up at him, his gentle, delicate, dainty fingers dancing along his jawline.

"But in and outside I've turned to water..." Masking his own emotions, bottling them up deep within and never releasing them.

"Like a teardrop in your palm..." Confessing the tough parts to Peony, telling him just how hard being an emotionless rock really was. Peony soothing him gently, telling it that it was for a better cause, and that it would get easier with time.

"And it's a hard winter's day, I dream away..." All of the thoughts surrounding Peony swirling around in his mind, making him want to break into sobs.

"It must have been love but it's over now..." Gone and forgotten, isn't it? Isn't it over?

"It must have been good but I lost it somehow..." He lost the feeling. He'd forgotten how to love.

"From the moment we touched 'til the time had run out..." The first time Peony had laid eyes on him, smiling brightly at him, a tiny child of fourteen. The burning rage he'd felt, the fire in his soul burning strong, until Satch had calmed him down.

"And time has run out..." Luke finally finished, all of his musings and thoughts leaving thanks to one gentle squeeze. Luke looked down at Jared, who was also in tears.

"Your song...." Jared whispered. His eyes were wide, realizing what was happening.

"It was beautiful." He smiled so fondly, it seemed impossible. Luke only watched as Jared sighed and removed himself from the embrace and looked up out the window leading to the vast universe.

"Not really my song. I heard it once, long ago." Luke mentioned nonchalantly. Jared hummed in acknowledgement.

"I loved him. I knew him. Sometimes, I would think to myself 'Maybe he's just sitting back home in our little fort... And I simply forgot.' But I know it's not true." Luke pulled his knees up to his chin, resting on them as he looked on the floor.

"Sometimes it's easier to let the past be the past, Luke. Look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now. Sure, Todd can just revive us, but that's not the point." Jared stood up, taking Luke's hands and bringing him up with him, bringing him closer to the large panel that showed off the beauties of space. "Look at where we are, Luke." He pointed to a planet that seemed so close, yet so far. "Look at where we started." Jared clutched their hands together, fingers threading through feathers. "The fact you're alive right now is a miracle!" Jared shouted out, a happy grin on his face. "Isn't this enough? Aren't your friends enough? Aren't I..." He trailed off, looking up at Luke with those big ocean colored eyes.

Luke only chuckled. "Of course. I'm sorry for doubting it." His smile left his face, and he looked at Jared seriously.

"I want to forget Peony. And I want you to be the one I remember." Jared's entire face flushed. Slowly, he pressed a kiss to the top of Luke's beak.

·-·-·

Luke was flying around, attacking and protecting his friends. He was absolutely livid. Reese had died because of some stupid hologram, and she was supposed to be their leader. Jesse and Jirard were attacking, with Jared screaming at him to bandage.

No. He would avenge Reese. For Jon.

He didn't care about the magic slicing through his body, feathers and blood flying all around the room. He would destroy this Asra Nox with every effort in this stolen body. He squawked loudly, a battle cry as he tried to pummel Asra. The magic user teleported upwards, using another wave of magic, all directed at Luke.

More deadly magic attacked him, but he didn't care. Tha gashes were deep, the pain like a searing fire in his bones, but he would be the one to---

He was weightless suddenly. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. His body drifted slowly to the ground, he could see Jared reaching out for him, eyes wide and watery with tears that were streaming down his face. All of the rage and frustration was gone, replaced by a clam sort of peace. His body finally landed on the ground with a thud, and Luke can see the last few shots Jesse and Jirard have to shoot before Asra Nox is finally defeated. Jared has come to his side, holding one of his bloody, feathery hands in his own. Only one phrase comes to mind before he's warped out on existence and into pure darkness.

Wasn't he enough?

He wakes up in a dark room, with only one other person in it. His body is beaten, clothes shredded with chunks of fabric and armor falling off. The eyes across the room are glowing yellow.

"Hello, Luke."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back to marco references two musicals, a tv show---
> 
> also the song doesn't belong to me, it's from It Must Have Been Love by roxette (covered by maria mena)

**Author's Note:**

> i will never not make references and y'all can't stop me


End file.
